Poké Ball
]] A Poké Ball (Japanese: モンスターボール Monster Ball) is a type of item that is critical to a 's quest, used for and storing . Both a general term used to describe the various kinds as well as a specific term to refer to the most basic among these variations, Poké Balls are ubiquitous in the modern Pokémon world. Up to six Pokémon can be carried with a Trainer in Poké Balls, while any number of other Poké Balls can be held in the bag for later use. These six Pokémon in the Poké Balls can be attached to the user's belt for carrying them around. Some Pokémon do not like to be carried around in Poké Balls, such as Ash's Pikachu. The strength of a Poké Ball is determined by how much it raises a wild Pokémon's catch rate, and may in fact vary depending on the conditions of the battle. Poké Balls limit the power of Pokémon contained inside, taming them, though they do not cause the Pokémon inside to always obey the Trainer. Mechanics and design Though the technology behind a Poké Ball remains unknown and has evolved through the centuries to accommodate the diverse requirements of their creators, the basic mechanics are simple enough to understand and tend to remain constant: in a Pokémon battle, once an opposing wild Pokémon has been weakened, the Pokémon Trainer can throw a Poké Ball at it. When a Poké Ball hits the Pokémon, as long as it is not deflected, the Poké Ball will open, convert the Pokémon to a form of energy, pull it into its center, and close. A Pokémon in this state is given a chance to struggle to attempt to break free from the ball and escape, being instantly re-converted from energy into matter. Should a Pokémon escape a Poké Ball, the device will either be destroyed (in the games and some manga) or will return to the Trainer (anime), who can attempt once again to capture the Pokémon. A Pokémon who does not escape the ball will be . Poké Balls are specifically constructed for Pokémon capture, transport and training. As well as being physically difficult to escape from (as they seal tightly shut as soon as a Pokémon is taken into them) the environment of a Poké Ball is designed to be attractive to Pokémon also; according to Lucian of the Sinnoh Elite Four, weakened Pokémon instinctively curl up tight in an attempt to heal themselves, an action that the environment of the Poké Ball encourages. Furthermore, while it is not known how a captured Pokémon perceives their time inside their Ball, the device is said to replicate a "Pokémon-friendly" environment that is "designed for comfort". All of these factors strongly discourage Pokémon from escaping their Balls. In the manga, Bugsy refers to his "capture net" as being the net that is supposedly inside a Poké Ball, but visible and already deployed. According to Kurt, this invisible net captures and physically stores a Pokémon. Poké Balls are not always at full size. Pressing the button on the front will convert it between its full size, about the size of a , to a smaller size, about that of a , and back again. The larger size makes throwing the ball easier, while the smaller one makes for easier storage on a belt clip, in pockets, and in bags. As mentioned, the generic Poké Ball design is not constant and has been remodelled and altered innumerable times in order to create new Poké Balls that are adapted for specific conditions. For example, it is seen in several anime episodes such as Gulpin it Down! and Claydol Big and Tall that normal Poké Balls have difficulty catching Pokémon which are extremely large or extremely heavy. In the latter episode, it is revealed that ancient civilizations overcame this issue by constructing immense Poké Balls many times the size of the standard model known today, and made from stone instead. Other civilizations such as Pokémopolis also discovered new technologies that more closely resembled modern Poké Ball technology, such as the Dark Device and the Unearthly Urn, which were also adapted for the capture and storage of massive Pokémon but in small containers. However, devices like these became lost to the ages and their roles were subsequently supplanted by Heavy Balls in the modern world. releasing |thumb]] When a Pokémon is released from a Poké Ball, it will be accompanied by a bright light as it returns from its energy form, and materialize nearby, often on the ground. This bright light has been shown to vary depending on the type of Ball that the Pokémon is contained in in the games, while it has always been shown to be white in the anime. Pokémon are recalled to their Poké Ball by holding up the Poké Ball with its button pointed at the Pokémon. A beam of red light will shoot from the button, converting the Pokémon back into energy and returning it to the Ball. The beam, however, has a limited range, and can be dodged by the Pokémon. If the beam hits a person, they will be stunned for a moment, but aside from that no ill effects will make themselves apparent. Releasing Pokémon from a Trainer's ownership, unlike normally sending the Pokémon out, will bathe the Pokémon in a blue glow, and the Poké Ball will no longer mark it, making it able to be caught by another Trainer's Poké Ball. A Poké Ball can also be broken, which will release it from ownership, and if a Trainer has done so accidentally, it must somehow be fixed before the Pokémon can be recalled. Poké Balls are able to communicate with a Trainer's Pokédex, as the system updates itself with information on newly-caught Pokémon, and keeps track of how many Pokémon the Trainer has with them. If a Trainer catches a new Pokémon with the full six already with them, the Pokédex will automatically send the newly-caught Pokémon in its Poké Ball to the Pokémon Storage System that the Trainer is using. Poké Balls are able to be decorated to no ill effect. Capture chances Types of Poké Ball ]] There have been 26 different varieties of Poké Ball recorded to date, all differing from each other in some effect, whether it be an increased ability to catch a Pokémon from the wild or an effect which occurs only after the Pokémon has been caught. Introduced in Kanto These balls were developed by Silph Co., along with the development of the Master Ball. |sell=100 |effect=Allows the to catch wild Pokémon. |effect2=Exchange twenty with a man in Anville Town for a Full Restore. Once per day, exchange one with a Roughneck in Virbank Complex for a Great Ball |catchrate=1× |descstad=A Ball thrown at wild Pokémon to catch them. |descgsc=An item for catching Pokémon. |descrse=A tool for catching wild Pokémon. |descfrlg=A ball thrown to catch a wild Pokémon. It is designed in a capsule style. |descdppthgss=A device for catching wild Pokémon. It is thrown like a ball at the target. It is designed as a capsule system. |descbw=A device for catching wild Pokémon. It is thrown like a ball at the target. It is designed as a capsule system. |locrby=Most Poké Marts |locgsc=Most Poké Marts |locrse=Most Poké Marts |locfrlg=Most Poké Marts |loccolo=Outskirt Stand |locxd=Outskirt Stand |locdppt=All Poké Marts |lochgss=All Poké Marts (after learning how to catch Pokémon) Pokéwalker: (0+ Steps) |locbw=All Poké Marts, Black City shop |locb2w2=All Poké Marts |tcg=Poké Ball (Jungle 64) }} to catch wild Pokémon. |catchrate=1.5× |descstad=A Ball for catching wild Pokémon. More effective than a Poké Ball. |descgsc=A Ball with a decent success rate. |descrse=A good ball with a higher catch rate than a Poké Ball. |descfrlg=A good, quality Ball that offers a higher Pokémon catch rate than a standard Poké Ball. |descdppthgss=A good, high-performance Ball that provides a higher Pokémon catch rate than a standard Poké Ball. |descbw=A good, high-performance Ball that provides a higher Pokémon catch rate than a standard Poké Ball. |locrby=Many Poké Marts |locgsc=Many Poké Marts |locrse=Many Poké Marts |locfrlg=Many Poké Marts |loccolo=Outskirt Stand |locxd=Outskirt Stand |locdppt=All Poké Marts after earning 3 Badges |lochgss=All Poké Marts after earning 3 Badges Pokéwalker: (750+ Steps) |locbw=All Poké Marts after earning 1 Badge |locb2w2=All Poké Marts after earning 1 Badge |tcg=Great Ball (EX FireRed & LeafGreen 92) }} to catch wild Pokémon. |catchrate=2× |descstad=A Ball for catching wild Pokémon. More effective than a Great Ball. |descgsc=A Ball with a high rate of success. |descrse=A better ball with a higher catch rate than a Great Ball. |descfrlg=A very high-grade Ball that offers a higher Pokémon catch rate than a Great Ball. |descdppthgss=An ultra-performance Ball that provides a higher Pokémon catch rate than a Great Ball. |descbw=An ultra-performance Ball that provides a higher Pokémon catch rate than a Great Ball. |locrby=Several Poké Marts |locgsc=Several Poké Marts |locrse=Several Poké Marts |locfrlg=Several Poké Marts |loccolo=Outskirt Stand |locxd=Outskirt Stand |locdppt=All Poké Marts after earning 5 Badges, Jubilife TV Pokémon Lottery Corner (1 digit) |lochgss=All Poké Marts after earning 5 Badges, Goldenrod Radio Tower Pokémon Lottery Corner (1 digit) Pokéwalker: (2000+ Steps) |locbw=All Poké Marts after earning 5 Badges |locb2w2=All Poké Marts after earning 5 Badges |tcg=Ultra Ball (Dark Explorers 102) }} to catch wild Pokémon without fail. |catchrate=255× |descstad=A Ball that captures any wild Pokémon without fail. |descgsc=The best Ball. It never misses. |descrse=The best ball that catches a Pokémon without fail. |descfrlg=The best Ball with the ultimate performance. It will catch any wild Pokémon without fail. |descdppthgss=The best Ball with the ultimate level of performance. It will catch any wild Pokémon without fail. |descbw=The best Ball with the ultimate level of performance. It will catch any wild Pokémon without fail. |locrby=Silph Co. |locgsc=New Bark Town, Lucky Channel (all digits) |locrse=Magma Hideout /Aqua Hideout , Lilycove Department Store Pokémon Lottery Corner (all digits) |locfrlg=Silph Co. |loccolo=Agate Village |locxd=Pokémon HQ Lab |locdppt=Team Galactic HQ, Jubilife TV Pokémon Lottery Corner (all digits) |lochgss=New Bark Town, Goldenrod Radio Tower Pokémon Lottery Corner (all digits) |locbw=Gift from Professor Juniper after obtaining all eight badges, gift from a man wearing black in the Castelia City Pokémon Center after trading with 50 people |locb2w2=Gift from Professor Juniper in Mistralton City, receive from Colress after first rebattle on Plasma Frigate (at P2 Laboratory), prize from Join Avenue Raffle Shop |tcg=Master Ball (Gym Challenge 116) |main=Master Ball }} to catch wild Pokémon in the Safari Zone. |catchrate=1.5× |descstad=A Ball used in the Safari Zone for catching wild Pokémon. |descrse=A special ball that is used only in the Safari Zone. |descfrlg=A special ball that is used only in the Safari Zone. It is finished with a camouflage pattern. |descdppthgss=A special Poké Ball that is used only in the Great Marsh. It is decorated in a camouflage pattern. |descbw=A special Poké Ball that is used only in the Great Marsh. It is decorated in a camouflage pattern. |locrby= |locrse= |locfrlg= |locdppt=Great Marsh |lochgss= }} Introduced in Johto The following Poké Balls were introduced in the Johto region. Seven of them are made from Apricorns by Kurt, while the only one that is not is seen by some to be a counterpart to the Safari Ball in that it is only used in the Bug-Catching Contest in National Park. to catch wild Pokémon; works better on Pokémon of levels lower than the Pokémon currently in battle. |effect2=Cannot be held. |catchrate=1× if the player's Pokémon is the same level as or a lower level than the wild Pokémon 2× if the player's Pokémon is at a higher level than the wild Pokémon but less than double it 4× if the player's Pokémon is more than double but less than four times the level of the wild Pokémon 8× if the player's Pokémon is of a level four times or more than that of the wild Pokémon |descgsc=A Ball for lower-level Pokémon. |deschgss=A Poké Ball for catching Pokémon that are a lower level than your own. |descbw=A Poké Ball for catching Pokémon that are a lower level than your own. |locgsc=Azalea Town ( ) |lochgss=Azalea Town ( ) }} to catch wild Pokémon; works better while fishing. |effect2=Cannot be held. |catchrate=3× if used on a Pokémon encountered while fishing 1× otherwise |descgsc=A Ball for Pokémon hooked by a rod. |deschgss=A Poké Ball for catching Pokémon hooked by a Rod when fishing. |descbw=A Poké Ball for catching Pokémon hooked by a Rod when fishing. |locgsc=Kurt after saving Slowpoke Well, Azalea Town ( ) |lochgss= in Pokémon Center (×2), Azalea Town ( ) |tcg=Lure Ball (Skyridge 128) }} to catch wild Pokémon; works better on Pokémon that evolve with a . |effect2=Cannot be held. |catchrate=4× if used on a Pokémon belonging to the , , , , or families; otherwise 1× 1× due to a glitch |descgsc=A Ball for Moon Stone evolvers. |deschgss=A Poké Ball for catching Pokémon that evolve using the Moon Stone. |descbw=A Poké Ball for catching Pokémon that evolve using the Moon Stone. |locgsc=Azalea Town ( ) |lochgss=Azalea Town ( ) }} to catch wild Pokémon. |effect2=Sets caught Pokémon's friendship to 200. Cannot be held. |catchrate=1× |descgsc=A Ball that makes Pokémon friendly. |deschgss=A Poké Ball that makes caught Pokémon more friendly. |descbw=A Poké Ball that makes caught Pokémon more friendly. |locgsc=Azalea Town ( ) |lochgss=Azalea Town ( ) |tcg=Friend Ball (Skyridge 126) }} to catch wild Pokémon; works better on Pokémon of the opposite gender of, but same species as the player's Pokémon. |effect2=Cannot be held. |catchrate=8× if used on a Pokémon of the same species and gender of, the player's Pokémon 8× if used on a Pokémon of the same species as, but opposite gender of, the player's Pokémon 1× otherwise |descgsc=For catching the opposite gender. |deschgss=Poké Ball for catching Pokémon that are the opposite gender of your Pokémon. |descbw=Poké Ball for catching Pokémon that are the opposite gender of your Pokémon. |locgsc=Azalea Town ( ) |lochgss=Azalea Town ( ) }} to catch wild Pokémon; works better on heavier Pokémon. |effect2=Cannot be held. |catchrate=-20 if used on Pokémon weighing less than / No modifier if used on Pokémon weight between and +20 if used on Pokémon weighing between and +30 if used on Pokémon weighing more than +30 if used on Pokémon weighing between and +40 if used on Pokémon weighing more than |descgsc=A Ball for catching heavy Pokémon. |deschgss=A Poké Ball for catching very heavy Pokémon. |descbw=A Poké Ball for catching very heavy Pokémon. |locgsc=Azalea Town ( ) |lochgss=Azalea Town ( ) |tcg=Heavy Ball (Next Destinies 88) }} to catch wild Pokémon; works better on fast Pokémon or Pokémon able to flee from battle . |effect2=Cannot be held. |catchrate=4× if used on a or roaming Pokémon 4× if used on a Pokémon with a base 1× otherwise |descgsc=A Ball for catching fast Pokémon. |deschgss=A Poké Ball that makes it easier to catch fast Pokémon. |descbw=A Poké Ball that makes it easier to catch Pokémon which are quick to run away. |locgsc=Azalea Town ( ) |lochgss=Kurt (after saving Slowpoke Well), Azalea Town ( ) |tcg=Fast Ball (Skyridge 124) }} to catch wild Pokémon in the Bug-Catching Contest. |catchrate=1.5× |descgsc=The Bug-Catching Contest Ball. |deschgss=A special Poké Ball for the Bug-Catching Contest. |descbw=A special Poké Ball for the Bug-Catching Contest. |locgsc=National Park |lochgss=National Park |notes=Known as the Park Ball (パークボール) during Generation II. }}